SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS wirelessly transmits alerts, pressure and temperature information for trailers directly to the tractor and is displayed on the SmarTire TPMS dash gauge or integrated vehicle cluster. It is now available to OE trailer manufacturers and as an aftermarket retrofit kit. A typical kit consists of eight wheel sensors, harnessing, and a wireless receiver.

SmarTire technology continuously monitors the pressure and temperature of each tire on a commercial vehicle to provide real-time tire status information to the driver or maintenance technician.

The latest version of SmarTire for tractors automatically detects the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS trailer system so no driver intervention is necessary. Once connected, the dash will display both the truck and trailer tire information on the existing TPMS driver display.

If the tractor is not equipped with a SmarTire by Bendix CVS TPMS system, the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS system can use a lamp mounted to the nose of the trailer that will blink to notify the driver there is a problem. The lamp is mounted in an easy-to-see location when the driver uses the sideview mirror. If the tractor is not equipped with a SmarTire TPMS system, the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS system can use a lamp mounted to the nose of the trailer that will notify the driver there is a problem.

The same SmarTire TPMS data provided to drivers inside the vehicle can be relayed wirelessly to fleet operators and accessible via SafetyDirect. The SafetyDirect system collects the SmarTire TPMS data and delivers it to fleet operators via a user-friendly Web portal. This lets fleet managers bring issues to the attention of drivers, encouraging them to make corrections, such as adding air to tires, as soon as possible. Active monitoring also allows fleet operators to limit vehicle downtime by proactively scheduling maintenance for a particular vehicle or trailer.

The SmarTire TPMS in-vehicle technology warns a driver of tire-related problems, including alerts for low tire pressure, extreme low tire pressure, and extreme high temperature, before they pose a safety hazard. The temperature compensation feature allows the system to provide earlier warnings of a tire problem. Particularly relevant for trailers, the high-temperature warning alerts drivers to potential thermal issues, such as an overheated wheel-end due to a bearing or brake issue.

The SmarTire system displays actual tire pressure and temperature for each wheel location, along with a deviation value that shows the amount of over- or underinflation from each tire’s cold inflation pressure. This value represents a tire’s deviation from target pressure, regardless of tire temperature, an important feature because tire pressure rises when a tire’s temperature increases from use or outside conditions.